This report aims to provide insights into how recent PNG government reform efforts are impacting on the primary health care system. Overall, the findings suggest that major health policies and broader reforms implemented under the O’Neill Government to strengthen the health system were struggling to achieve their intended purpose.

This paper informs readers about the status of mental health services and telephone counselling services in the Pacific region and offers suggestions for further research on this topic. The paper identifies a problem (a deficit in mental health service capacity in the Pacific) and a particular modality (telephone counselling) that might address some of the...